An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is
how computers find and communicate with each other. IP addresses
are similar to street addresses. They are unique which allows mail
and emergency services to be able to locate them. There are public
IP addresses and private ones. Public IP addresses are how web
browsers can find the computers that run websites. The current
addressing methodology limits the number of available addresses.

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)
is the group that controls the assignment of IP addresses by
blocks. These blocks of addresses are grouped geographically, so an
IP address frequently will indicate where in the world a particular
computer is located.

If a user wants to know what their IP address
is, two web-based resources are available. They are:

www2.simflex.com/ip.shtml

www.whatsmyipaddress.com

These resources will reveal the public IP
address the ISP has given the user. This is usually dynamic so it
may change from time to time. This IP address may be different from
the one used by your computer depending on how the network is set
up.

Private IP addresses are generally used either
for computers that do not need to access the Internet or for ones
that access the Internet through an intermediate server that serves
as a relay station. For home Internet users, either their DSL or
cable modem or their ISP serves as a relay station. This means that
they are able to use private addresses.